Method of and means for mixing colors



G. A. SCHUBERT Filed April 20'. 1931 ooooooo METHOD OF AND MEANS FORMIXING COLORS OOOOOOO OOOOOOO Jwooooooo Dec. 6, 1932.

0 00 000 OOOQOOO OOOOOOO OOOOOOO V Inventor: 650K651? jcl/u m'r per I Wm 5 arttorney [Ill-Ill. .ll'l llllll Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MIXING COLORS Application filedApril 20,

This invention relates to improvements in method of and means for mixingcolors and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The primary object of theinvention is to provide a method of and meansfor mixing primary colors, whereby the desired standard color in any ofits hues may be accurately produced and duplicated without change asoften as desired by any school child or adult.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for mixingprimary colors wherein the desired quantities of the colors to be mixedin producing the desired stand ard color may be observed both as toquantities of each primary color and the number thereof, so that thedesired standard color may be duplicated in such quantities as arenecessary and as often as required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of and means formixing primary colors which has an educational value in schools and thelike, whereby the students may actually visualize the number of primarycolor units going into the makeup of the desired standard color, wherebythe student more readily learns the relationship of one color to anotherand the various tints and hues thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a means for thispurpose in the form of a kit, containing a number of bottles of theprimary colors each including a dropperlike device having the doublefunction of not only stirring the color in its associated bottle butalso in removing quantities therefrom for providing on a mixing plate orpalette also forming a part of the kit, visual quantities of differentprimary colors and the numbers of such quantities for mixing togetherupon said plate by means of a suitable instrument, also forming a partof the kit.

The above mentioned objects of the invention as well as others togetherwith the many advantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceedwith my specification.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the various devices orelements by which my improved 1931. Serial No. 531,507.

method may be expeditiously carried out and with such devices orelements arranged in kit form for convenience in use, the cover beingomitted for better illustration.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the kit shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the kit on anenlarged scale as taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a View in top plan elevation of a certain palette like mixingplate embodied in the kit.

Fig. 5 is a similar view on an enlarged scale of one end of the mixingplate showing the application of certain unit quantities of primarycolors disposed thereon for mixmg.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through the same as taken on theline 6-6 of Fig. 5.

My invention contemplates more particularly a method of mixing aplurality of primary colors to provide the desired standard color and tothis end I provide means whereby unit quantities of the various primarycolors to be mixed may be deposited upon a. mixing plate in such amanner that they may be observed both as to the quantity in each unitand the number of units. After such quantities are so deposited upon themixing plate, they are caused to run or merge into each other by passinga brush or the like, over the desired units to cause a thoroughintermixing of the same.

For convenience, I have arranged the re quired articles in the form of akit, and this kit includes a mixing plate, a mixing brush and aplurality of bottles of primary colors to be mixed, the latter includingdropper-like device whereby amounts of the color may be withdrawn fromthe various bottles for deposit as units in an orderly arrangement onthe mixing plate. As such colors are at the best only a partiallysoluble solution it is apparent that they must be agitated or stirredand to this end I form each dropperli'ke device with a bent end. Thuswhen said device which also acts as a. stopper for the associatedbottle, is turned, it acts to stir or agitate the colors to the desiredconsistency.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawing, 1 indicates as a whole a kit which includes a box-likebody 2 and a cover 3. The body includes a bottom wall 4, rear Wall 5,end walls 6 and a front wall 7 of a height less than the rear and endwalls and associated with-said front wall is a horizontal partition ortop Wall 8. Thus the body includes a closed compartment at the bottomand in the partition there is a plurality of spaced openings 9. 7

The cover 3 which is of greater depth from front to rear than is thebody, includes a rear wall 10, front wall 11, top wall 12 and end Walls18, and embraces the body as best shown in Fig. 3. a

The compartment of the body is adapted to 4 receive a plurality of colorcontainers in the I form of bottles 14 with the neck of each bottleextending up through an. opening 9 in the partition 8. Each bottle isadapted to contain a primary color in fluid form and for the purpose ofidentifying the color in each bottle, the front wall 7 of the body hasprovided thereon in line with each bottle the name of the color in theassociated bottle as best shown in Fig. 2.

As the colors most widely used in schools and the like are poster ortempercolors and as such colors are only a partially insoluble solution,it is apparent that the color must be stirred or agitated. To make this.an easy matter, as'well as to provide astopper for the bottle along withmeans for extracting portions of the primary color from each bottle, Iprovide a dropper-like device 15 including a tube 16 of glass with acompressible bulb 17 on its top end. Surrounding the tube just below thebulb is an annular body 18, preferably of'rubber which func: tions as astopper orv cork for the bottle. The bottom end of the tube is bent atan angle to extend laterally and is restricted as to its orifice as bestshown in Fig. 3. By compressing and releasing the bulb, it is apparentthat the fluid primary color can be drawn up into and expelled from thetube 16. By reason of the bottom end of the tube extending laterally asdescribed, a turning movement of the tube in the bottle will agitate orstir up the color to the desired consistency.

Removably secured in the partition toward the front thereof in a'planemidway between the two middle bottles is a cup .19, adapted to hold athinning fluid. Ordinarily the color are water colors so that the cup isadapted to receive water. A brush 20 is used in mixing'the colors aswill later appear and when said brush is not in actual use for itsintended purpose, it may be placed upon the partition 8 between the rearwall 5 of the'box body and Associated with the parts of the kit thus fardescribed, I provide a palette-like mixing plate 21. Preferably thisplate is made of a light weight, thin sheet metal of an areaapproximating that of the rear wall 5 of the box body and is flanged atits ends on its rear side as indicated at 22 in Fig. 5to give itstiffness and rigidity. Said plate is so formed as to provide aplurality of groups of small color receiving areas and preferably thesame are provided by small cup-like depressions 23 arranged intransverse and longitudinal rows as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Alongthe one longitudinal edge of said plate is provided a plurality of hooks24 that overhang one side of the plate and when said plate is not inactual use, said books may be engaged upon the top edge of the rear wall5 of the box body so as to be removably supported therefrom, with theconcav: F

ities of the recesses facing said rear wall. When said plate is soengaged upon said wall, as shown in Fig. 3, the cover 3 may be appliedto box body 2 and this will enclose the plate and hold it-in its out ofuse position. The parts described complete the kit, with all partscompactly and orderly arranged for use when needed. a

In the use of the kit for mixing the various primary colors to obtainthe-desired standard color, it is of course apparent that best resultsare obtained in mixing said various primary colors when they are intheir best condition and consistency. To attain such consistency thestopper-like devices 15 are not only turned back and forth in thebottles but the bulbs '17 are compressed and released. This not onlyimparts a stirring action to the colors in the various bottles but actsto withdraw and discharge the color =1 from and back into said bottlesso that the colors are held in suspension in the fluid thereof.

Thereafter, a quantity of color is withdrawn from one bottle by means ofthe ass( ciated dropper-like device and one or more unit quantitiesthereof is deposited in one or more adjacent recesses'23 in the mixingplate 21. Said dropper-like device is then returned to the bottle andthe like device of another bottle is used for depositing one ormore unitquantities of another color in recesses of the plate adjacent thosealready containing the unit quantities. If the color r desired requiresa third primary color in its make up, then unit quantities of the saidthird primary color are deposited in other recesses in said plate andpreferably adjacent the first mentioned ones.

Thereafter, the brush 20 is taken in hand and is moved back and forthover the surface of the mixing plate in that area thereof that includesthe recesses with the unit quantities of primary color therein and thiscauses them to run together and cover an area of the mixing plate asshown by the dotted line in Fig. 5. To thin out the colors for mixing,the brush 20 may be dipped into the cup 19 and then again moved back andforth over the area of said plate to provide the mixed color which isready for the use originally intended.

By using a greater or less number of unit quantities of primary colors,it is apparent that the desired hue in the mixed standard color may beeasily obtained. The kit preferably contains the three primary colorsand a white from which any mixed color may be produced. Of course, adirection sheet (not shown) is included in the kit which sheet gives afour figure number to show the units of primary colors and white required to produce up to one hundred and twenty standard colors that areused in all walks of life.

Again any standard color of any hue may be accurately reproduced at anytime. In school work the pupil and instructor will therefore haveavailable a vast spread of colors at a cost much smaller than would bethe cost of all the colors in the spread.

The kit is of special advantage in school work where space per pupil isa decided factor. As the kit is small and compact, it may be readilykept in the pupils desk and this would be impossible with a full line ofcolors such as provided for this kind of work today, due not only to thebulkiness thereof, but also as to cost which makes it prohibitive.

Another advantage is the educational benefit the pupil receives inactually visualizing how much or how many unit quantities of primarycolors are required to make up the desired standard color, because thepupil will more clearly remember a. color that he or she makes up, thanif such a color appeared upon a sample card or the like. Such a kit alsoenables the pupil to make up his or her own color dictionary of allstandard colors usually remembered throughout life. Thus the pupilreceives a connection between color theory and color names as they areused in every day life and will learn the relationship of one color toanother.

lVhile in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the formand construction of the parts of the kit as well as to the manner inwhich they are used to carry out the improved method, the same is to beconsidered as illustrative only so that I do not wish to be limitedthereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The method of mixing colors which consists inproviding a support, depositing thereon unit quantities of the colorsrequired to produce the desired color and intermingling said unitquantities to cause a thorough admixture thereof.

2. The method of mixing colors which consists in providing a support,depositing thereon in spaced relation unit quantities of the colorsrequired to produce the desired color and causin an interniingling ofsaid unit quantities to provide a thoroughly admixed common mass of thedesired color.

8. The method of mixing colors which consists in providing a support,depositing thereon unit quantities of the colors required to produce thedesired color, in a manner so that they may be observed both as toquantity and number and causing an intermi-ngling of said unitquantities into a larger quantity forming the desired mixed color.

4. The method of mixing colors which consists in providing a support,depositing thereon in spaced relation unit quantities of the colorsrequired to produce the required color and brushing said unit quantitiesof said required colors into a larger quantity forming the desired mixedcolor.

5. The method of mixing colors which consists in providing a supportformed in desired portions thereof with spaced apart areas by which unitquantities of the colors required to produce the desired color may bedetermined, depositing unit quantities of said required colors upon saidareas and causing an interniingling of said unit quantities of requiredcolors into a larger quantity forming the desired mixed color.

6. The methodof mixing colors which consists in providing a supportformed in desired portions thereof with spaced apart areas by which unitquantities of the color required to produce the desired mixed color maybe determined, depositing unit quantities of such required colors uponsaid areas and moving a member over that portion of the support havingsaid unit quantities of required colors in said areas to cause them tointermix into a larger quantity forming the desired mixed 0 lor.

7. The method of mixing colors which consists in providing a supportformed in desired portions thereof with spaced apart areas by which unitquantities of the colors required to produce the desired mixed color maybe determined, depositing unit quantities of such required colors uponsaid areas and brushing said unit quantities of said required colorstogether into a mass of a larger quantity forming the desired mixedcolor.

8. The method of mixing colors which consists in providing a supportformed in desired portions thereof with spaced apart cuplikedepressions, depositing unit quantities of the colors required toproduce the desired mixed color, in certain of said depressions andmoving a member over said support and across said depressions to causesaid required colors to mix into a larger quantity forming the desiredmixed color.

9. The method of mixing colors which consists in providing a supportformed in desired portions thereof with spaced apart cuplikedepressions, depositing unit quantities of the colors required toproduce the desired mixed color in certain of said depressionsandbrushing the unit quantities of said required colors together into alarger quantity forming the desired mixed color. 1

10. A device for use in mixing colors comprising a plate-like bodyformed to provide on at least a surface thereof a plurality of spacedapart areas each adapted to receive and define a measured unit quantityof color material applied thereto.

11. A device for use in mixing colors comprising a plate-like bodyformed on at least one side thereof with a plurality of spaced apartdepressions each to receive and define a measured unit quantity of colormaterial applied thereto.

12. A device for use in mixing colors comprising a plate-like bodyformed-on at least one side thereof, with a plurality of rows of spacedapart depressions each to receive and define a measured unit quantity ofcolor material applied thereto.

13. A device for use in mixing colors comprising a plate-like bodyformed on at least one side thereof with a plurality of rows of spacedapart, partially spherical concavities each to recelve and define ameasured unit quantity of color material applied thereto.

14. A color mixing kit embodying therein a box body'having a horizontalpartition with openings therein, a plurality of color containers havingstoppered ends projecting up through said openings, a color mixing platehaving detachable hanging engagement with one of the walls of the boxand a cover for said box body adapted to enclose the same from the topand securing said plate in hanging position upon said box body wall. Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 16th day of April,1931.

GEORGE ASCHUBERT.

